Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Touro Law Dean Patricia Salkin is pleased to announce the establishment of the John Santucci Justice Scholarship created with a gift of $100,000 donated by Tom Santucci ’83 and friends and family in honor of his father John Santucci former District Attorney of Queens County. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a rising second year student who demonstrates a commitment to perseverance and personal integrity.

“We are delighted to have this scholarship in honor of John Santucci donated by one of our most active and philanthropic graduates Tom Santucci as well as his family and friends,” said Dean Salkin. “This scholarship will greatly benefit a Touro Law student who is dedicated to using their legal education to pursue justice through pro bono or government work.”

John Santucci played an integral role in the establishment of Touro Law Center. He was exceptionally proud of the role he played in appearing before the Committee on Accreditation. He was impressed with the ability and quality of Touro Law’s first graduates whom he employed in The Office of the District Attorney of Queens County and those Touro Law students he recommended to other potential employers. He served as a New York City Councilman, New York State Senator and from 1977 until his retirement in 1991 as District Attorney of Queens County.

Friday, January 24, 2014

From the Touro Times...Two new judges, Maria Vazquez-Doles ’97, NY
State Supreme Court, 9thJudicial District, and Deborah Poulos ’88, Suffolk Family Court, will receive their
robes at the Annual Winter Alumni Reception on Thursday, January 30, 6:30-8:30
p.m. at Le Marais, a kosher bistro/steakhouse, 150 W. 46th St., Manhattan. Justice Vazquez-Doles is the first Latina alum to serve on the State
Supreme Court. Judge Poulos was elected to Family Court after a
distinguished career as a Suffolk matrimonial practitioner. In addition to the judges being robed, alumni awards
will be presented to John Cooney ’08, an associate at the leading Long Island
firm Ruskin, Moscou Faltischek and Law Center adjunct professor, for
Exceptional Law School Service; Edward Nitkewicz Jr. ’91, Senior Attorney
at The Sanders Law Firm and a long-time community leader in Autism awareness,
Public Service Award; NY State Senator John J. Flanagan, Jr. ’90, the
Keith Romaine Elected Official of the Year (named in honor of the late
Brookhaven Town Councilman Keith Romaine, ‘03); Whitney Montgomery ’12, an
associate in Morgan Lewis’s Business and Finance Practice Department , Emerging
Leader; and Kelly Ann Poole ‘91, directing partner of foreclosure operations at
Rosicki, Rosicki & Associates, Outstanding Volunteer of the Year. For
information or reservations emailalumni@tourolaw.edu, or call 631.761.7064.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Jeffrey S. Wells ’93 was hired as an Associate in the Real
Estate Practice Group at Certilman Balin. He began working at the firm as a
Legal Extern while he was a student at Touro Law Center. On the Dean's List, he
ranked 11th in his class, won CALI
Awards for Academic Excellence in Real Estate Transactions and Drafting
Commercial Documents, and earned his Juris Doctor in 2013. He also completed
internships at the United States Attorney's Office EDNY, at the law firm of Carter
DeLuca, Farrell & Schmidt, LLP, at the Office of the District Attorney of
Nassau County, and at the Long Island Advocacy Center.

After he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 2000
from Fairfield University, Mr. Wells sharpened his business skills through
various positions in the financial industry and as a business owner. He worked
two years as a Business Analyst at Fleet Bank/Quick and Reilly in Manhattan;
another two, as an Insurance Underwriter/Licensed Broker/ASIG Registered
Representative for First Heritage Group; and then for one year as a Sales
Representative at M2 Aerospace, a distributor of private aviation products.

From 2006 until 2010, Mr. Wells was the Owner/President of
Long Island Mobile Car Wash, Inc. in Greenlawn. This venture allowed him to
combine his business acumen with his interest in automobiles. Mr. Wells is a
nationally certified high performance driving instructor. In his spare time, he races cars and also
plays hockey and he is admitted to practice in the State of New York.

Raymond A. Castronovo
‘12

Raymond A. Castronovo was hired as an associate at Forchelli,
Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP. He graduated
Touro Law Center in 2012, cum laude. He concentrates his practice in the areas
of construction law and commercial litigation.
Prior to joining the Firm, he was an associate at Agovino & Asselta,
LLP. He represents clients from all
segments of the construction industry in connection with public and private
projects in matters involving nonpayment, extra work, payment and performance
bond claims, delays, design and construction defects, changed conditions,
mechanic’s liens, terminations and defaults.

While at
Touro Law Center, Mr. Castronovo served as Research Editor for the Journal of
Race, Gender, and Ethnicity and interned as a Law Clerk for the Hon. Emily
Pines, Suffolk County Supreme Court, Commercial Division. He also finished second runner-up in the 2011
American Bar Association’s regional negotiation competition at Albany Law
School. In addition, as a member of the
Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Rights Clinic, he represented veterans in matters
involving disability and pension benefits, as well as various civil
issues. In this capacity, he also
appeared before the Veterans’ Court of the Suffolk County District Court,
Central Islip, New York.

Mr.
Castronovo is admitted to the New York State Bar and the Federal Courts for the
Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Mr. Castronovo is also a member of the Nassau and Suffolk Bar
Associations. He earned his B.S. from
the State University of New York at Oneonta.